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Columbus Day

Monday the 8th is the annual celebration of Columbus Day – which commemorates the achievements of Christopher Columbus, chief among them, the discovery of America.

No 15th Century explorer matched the heroism and daring that Christopher Çolumbus brought onto the world stage at a time when most people believed the world was flat.

He was, according to historians across the board, perhaps the finest mariner of his time – of any time – navigating his way across the seven seas boldly and with great confidence.

His discovery of the North American continent in 1492, excited the world and made him a hero – even though Columbus went to his death believing he had found the way to India.

In his honor, all these centuries later, there will be parades and festivities in and around the North Shore. A full slate of events are scheduled for Eastie.

Columbus on the Nina sailed out of Genoa on a clear day in 1492 and went right for the horizon with the Pinta and the Santa Maria in line. He would make four voyages to the New World and did not reach the mainland until his third voyage in 1498 when he reached South America and on his fourth voyage when he reached Central America.

His legacy is that he connected the continents in a world still largely bathed in darkness.

For his early discovery here, he was made an Admiral of the Ocean Sea.

Although he went to his death a man who had not achieved what he set out to do, he remains lauded today more than five centuries after his death, so great were his explorer’s achievements.